Monday, August 9, 2010

Success! One day on the books...

and many more to go!

What a great day! A few snags here and there related to computer glitches that I can't control, but the students were superb. Two of my classes are exceptionally large--about 36 in each---large for me---but both were mostly well-behaved and interested in knowing what we were going to do this school year. Advisory class (homeroom with intent!) was extra long and we doled out the procedures and expectations to the kiddos. We modeled at every opportunity and the students did well. I'm interested in seeing what they each remember in the morning.

This is really a nice group of students. Many of them are familiar to me from the past year and seemed excited to be here. Many were also nervous. (One 7th grader was so much so, he barely made it to the trashcan before he vomited.) Poor kid.

Reflections: Potential challenges should be met at the door when they walk in late and showered with kindness and attention. (This way they'll know we're keeping an eye out.)

Certain students are unusually quiet on the first day---Observe this fact and be wary of calling on them until you know them better.

Celebrate even the smallest success! This may be the only celebration they get all day long.

Remember---you don't know what baggage students carry with them when they get here in the morning. Treat them all with an extra heap of kindness. We never know if they were hugged or slugged as they were leaving their home on their way to school. Unfortunately, there aren't enough hugs.

1 comment:

As a home care therapist for kids and their families, I can attest to the fact that kids' home environments are as varied as the slogans on the shirts they (wish they could) wear to school. Some kids almost literally live or die by the feedback they get at school.